The invention relates to a combination of a quantity of paint and a quantity of pigment for suspension in this paint, wherein the quantity of paint is provided in a closable container adapted for the purpose of successively receiving the quantity of pigment and shaking of the container in order to suspend the pigment in the paint.

Such a combination is intended particularly for the nonprofessional painter who often requires a paint in a colour not available in prepared form and who wishes to have such at his/her disposal in simple and rapid manner.

Known is a combination of transparent or white paint and a pigment, wherein the paint is kept in a supply tank. Mixing in a pre-known ratio to form a paint of a determined desired colour is done by the supplier, for instance a DIY store, at the place of sale. A precisely determined quantity of paint is poured here from the supply container into a closable tin can, a predetermined quantity of pigment is added, the can is closed and placed in a shaking machine in order to suspend the pigment in the paint.

Supplying paint of a desired colour in such a manner is labour-intensive and therefore expensive. The drawback moreover occurs that a queue of customers having to wait their turn may form at the point of sale.

It is an object of the invention to provide a

combination of a quantity of paint and a quantity of pigment for suspension in this paint which enables a consumer to mix the paint and the pigment at the location of use without using a mixing machine and without the service of shop assistants .

When such a combination is used it must be possible to mix the paint and the pigment in simple and clean manner, and it must be possible after mixing to transfer the paint in simple and clean manner to a holder for application of the paint, for instance a tray for a paint roller. These objectives are achieved, and other advantages gained, with a combination of the type specified in the preamble, wherein according to the invention the container is manufactured from a flexible foil material.

A quantity of paint and a quantity of pigment adapted thereto which are received in a container of a flexible foil material can be mixed manually in exceptionally rapid manner, so without using a shaking machine, by both shaking and kneading the container.

In a practically advantageous embodiment the container is provided with a closable pouring spout.

A closable pouring spout makes it possible to pour the paint mixed with pigment out of the container a number of times and without spillage.

Shaking of a container with paint and pigment is facilitated in an embodiment wherein the container is

provided with a handle.

Shaking of a container with paint and pigment is further facilitated in an embodiment wherein the container contains at least 10% by volume, and preferably 40% by volume, of air.

It has been found that manual shaking of a container with paint and pigment which contains more than 10% by volume of air is performed particularly rapidly and easily. A value of about 40% by volume is a practical optimum here between the requirement on the one hand of a volume sufficiently large to enable shaking of the mixture and the requirement on the other to limit the overall volume with a view to

transport and storage costs.

The quantity of pigment is preferably provided in a tube.

Example

A flexible container of a plastic foil material, which is provided with a closable pouring spout and has a volume of 2.5 litres, contains 1.5 litres of a white base paint and 1 litre of air. A pigment with a predetermined colour is added in paste form to the container from a tube with a volume of 100 ml. After reclosing of the container the paint and the pigment are mixed by shaking and kneading the container. It has been found that a homogeneous suspension of the pigment in the paint is obtained after about 1.5 minutes of shaking and kneading, wherein the suspension has the desired colour and is ready for application.

It is noted that the term "paint" must be understood in a broad sense and that the invention extends in principle to any type of paint, the colour of which can be changed by adding a pigment. In addition to the above-mentioned white and transparent paint, the term "paint" must for instance also be understood to mean metallic types of paint and decorative paints, to which structure elements such as small grains have been added.